Looking back at the Citation IV concept that likely shaped the GM EV1

How Chevy's Time In The Wind Tunnel Taught GM An Aero Lesson

Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. We're not sure how that applies to the GM EV1, but we'd still like to share something from Autoline Daily, an online automotive new show with our friend John McElroy. He's been covering the business for decades now and recently found something interesting: pictures of the 1984 Chevrolet Citation IV concept, seen above.

Displayed half a decade before the first electric concept that would become the EV1 (inset), McElroy says it's now clear that the elegant, aerodynamic EV1 took a lot of styling cues from the Citation IV, which was developed in part thanks to GM's new-at-the-time Aerodynamics Laboratory. We agree with him that the spats over the rear wheels, the flush glass, and the covered headlights all bear a certain kind of similarity between the two cars. That the colors almost match is a nice coincidence. The Impact (the concept version of the EV1) looked "frumpier," McElroy says, because it wasn't as long as the Citation.

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Engineers have known how to design an efficient car body since the 1930s at least. The public has no interest in efficient designs. As long as fuel and credit are cheap they will buy conestoga wagons. When it no longer is, they will walk.

Well, fuel is no longer so cheap and people are definitely interested in aerodynamic models. Keep in mind that is an evolutionary thing. Compare the average car today to the average car in the 1970s and you'll see that they are much better. But there is definitely room for improvement. And Tesla, Prius, and the Volt are moving in the right direction.

Anyone who complains about our national debt had better be driving one of these or riding a bike. The amount of fuel that we use (export dollars), security, and wars to ensure we have cheap oil is causing the debt to go up and the economy to suffer as we now have to pay lots of interest and get nothing for it. Just so a few hundred million people can drive big cars and trucks that get less than 100 mpg.

Anyone who complains about our national debt had better be driving one of these or riding a bike. The amount of fuel that we use (export dollars), security, and wars to ensure we have cheap oil is causing the debt to go up and the economy to suffer as we now have to pay lots of interest and get nothing for it. Just so a few hundred million people can drive big cars and trucks that get less than 100 mpg.

Anyone who complains about our national debt had better be driving one of these or riding a bike. The amount of fuel that we use (export dollars), security, and wars to ensure we have cheap oil is causing the debt to go up and the economy to suffer as we now have to pay lots of interest and get nothing for it. Just so a few hundred million people can drive big cars and trucks that get less than 100 mpg.

GM is a finance company that happens to make cars. When the financial crisis struck in 2007, GM sank. GM has lost its leadership in sheet-metal design as well as in technology for at least 30 years. When GM can't even make an ignition switch correctly despite a massive recall, the end of the line is near.

Anyone who complains about our national debt had better be driving one of these or riding a bike. The amount of fuel that we use (export dollars), security, and wars to ensure we have cheap oil is causing the debt to go up and the economy to suffer as we now have to pay lots of interest and get nothing for it. Just so a few hundred million people can drive big cars and trucks that get less than 100 mpg.

We have the technology and the designs work. And making that car or something similar for under $20k would be possible as an EV or plug-in hybrid. People say they don't want government regulations, but when almost everyone makes the same stupid car-buying decisions and automakers don't push efficiency, CAFE standards are the only way to fix the problem.

Anyone who complains about our national debt had better be driving one of these or riding a bike. The amount of fuel that we use (export dollars), security, and wars to ensure we have cheap oil is causing the debt to go up and the economy to suffer as we now have to pay lots of interest and get nothing for it. Just so a few hundred million people can drive big cars and trucks that get less than 100 mpg.

Anyone who complains about our national debt had better be driving one of these or riding a bike. The amount of fuel that we use (export dollars), security, and wars to ensure we have cheap oil is causing the debt to go up and the economy to suffer as we now have to pay lots of interest and get nothing for it. Just so a few hundred million people can drive big cars and trucks that get less than 100 mpg.

Engineers have known how to design an efficient car body since the 1930s at least. The public has no interest for efficient designs. As long as fuel and credit is cheap they will buy conestoga wagons. When it no longer is, they will walk.